Biometric modality: Odour – use cases
- The potential use case for odour biometrics would be for security screening purposes, for example, at border control where sensors could be deployed at ports and border crossings to detect odours from travellers. Each traveller’s odour would be compared with a biometric watchlist of odours previously collected from those known to have been involved in terrorism or serious criminality.
Odour biometrics are still subject to research and development and the technology overlaps other human and non-human odour sensing applications, for example:
- Medical diagnoses in the treatment of cancers such as leukemia – this also includes the electronic transmission of odours during remote surgery procedures
- Quality control of food/beverage products
- DNA profiling also plays a crucial role in the identification of the deceased and especially in mass disasters where it is used alongside fingerprints and forensic odontology (dental comparisons) as one of the three, internationally recognised primary identifiers.
- Detection of hazardous gases and chemical agents in civil and military contexts
- Air quality in premises
- Disaster rescue – locating victims buried under debris
Odour key considerations | Odour overview | Other modalities
